There are hundreds of ways to help your staff bond out of the store—from lunches to weekend retreats, from cooking contests to volunteer projects. JCK talked with several retailers who have developed their own ways of boosting team spirit as well as the experts who counsel companies looking to create a more cohesive—and productive—staff. “A company is much more efficient when people can depend on one another,” says David Goldstein, team-building specialist with TeamBonding in Boston...

It's no secret that some people find team-building exercises, well, alienating. While big, far-flung organizations still use team building in attempts to improve communication and camaraderie, many who participate end up wishing everyone had just stayed at their desks...

Jonny Edser, MD of Wildgoose Events says, “This is a great opportunity for us to develop the market in the USA with a leading Partner. TeamBonding love what we do and they are very excited about the development of our new app, which will take our team building events to a whole new level when it is launched this coming spring.

TeamBonding offers five “Smartphone Scaventures,” in which players use the company’s mobile app to search for items, complete tasks, and snap photos. Teams earn points based on activities completed and the quality of photos. Hosts can create a mission list from a bank of more than 100 options—such as asking participants to play “human limbo”—or they can design their own activities. Teams can compete against one another from multiple locations, whether in different cities or different countries. Each hunt takes about three hours to complete.

Midwest Meetings spoke to David Goldstein (TeamBonding™) and others as they shared some of their insights on teambuilding including: why meeting/event planners might choose teambuilding, challenges encountered and popular teambuilding activities.

Want a quick snapshot of the current state of corporate America (and society at large, for that matter)? Look no further than your local team-building organization. “Corporate social responsibility is going to be hot for the next few years,” says David Goldstein.

Questions?

Whether you’re a team leader or C-level executive, the success of your company depends on your team. We’re here to answer all your questions about employee engagement activities, leadership retreats and other fun team building events - we can help make everything a lot easier. Contact us. We’re happy to help.